The treatment of various medical conditions related to the salivary ducts can involve several techniques, including wire insertion, dilation of the papilla and duct, sheath insertion, irrigation, visualization, balloon dilatation of strictures, lithotripsy, and stone removal. In the salivary duct, each of these procedures is complicated by the size of the duct itself, which is relatively small in comparison to other body vessels within which minimally invasive procedures have become common, such as the vessels of the vasculature system.
Unfortunately, the art lacks a model that simulates the various salivary duct structures—including normal and non-normal structures—that can be encountered during medical treatment of various conditions related to the salivary ducts. As a result, medical practitioners do not have an effective tool that allows visualization and use of specialized medical devices intended for use in salivary duct treatment procedures.
Thus, a need exists for a demonstration apparatus that can be used to demonstrate sialendoscopy medical devices and methods for training and other purposes.